This Retro Candy Bar Beloved By Coconut Fans Vanished By The 1960s

Candy bars are an American staple with a long history. Some are iconic, and others are nothing more than a distant memory for the taste buds. This includes a vintage chocolate brand that found popularity in the early 1920s but is no more. When you hear the words Cocaonut Grove, you might think of the nightclub that lived inside the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles and became mainstream in the musical "Singin' in the Rain"; however, the Coconut Grove, spelled differently, is also a retro candy bar that had its 15 minutes of fame and then seemingly disappeared. 

What is a Coconut Grove? A sweet, creamy bar of coconut covered in bittersweet chocolate, it is reminiscent of a Mounds bar. It was introduced in 1923 by the Curtiss Candy Company of Chicago, IL, which also gets the nod for creating the Baby Ruth and the Butterfinger. But the Coconut Grove is notable for using dextrose in lieu of pure sugar to give this nostalgic candy bar flavor. It was dubbed a "tasty TV treat," and it only cost candy lovers a nickel. But alas, all good things must come to an end.

When the Curtiss Candy Company and the Coconut Grove candy bar were sold to Standard Brands in 1964, this sweet confection didn't make the cut and quickly disappeared from grocery store shelves. Why was it discontinued? That remains a mystery. 

Of course, the Mounds candy bar, which made its debut around the same time as the Coconut Grove and is virtually the same candy bar wrapped in a different wrapper, persisted and remains a favorite candy bar among coconut lovers to this day. And you can opt for its sister candy bar, the Almond Joy, with its iconic slogan that has you feeling like a nut. 

Still, if you are jonesing to taste a Coconut Grove candy bar, consider ordering one from Marks & Spencer. This candy was recently resurrected by the British retailer after a poll found that 76% of British people are drawn to candy because it reminds them of childhood. It even wears its retro candy bar wrapper, so you can feel like you stepped back in time.